Egg carton set-up device



' March 3, 1936.; v b 2,032,759

' EGG CARTON SET-UP DEVICE I Filed Sept. 4, 1935 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 0/: W0 Ala/Kori.

INVENTOR.

f v ATTORNEYS March 3, 1936. D. LEVKOFF EGG CARTON SET-UP DEVICE Filed Sept. 4, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' 5A V/a lNVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 3, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE nae CARTON SET-UP omen David Levkerr, Brooklyn; N. Y. Application September 4, 1935, Serial No. 39,089 4 Claims. (01. 93-37) This invention relates to improvements in col-' lapsible carton set up devices and particularly for use in the setting up of collapsible cellular egg cartons.

It is the general practice of carton manufacturers to pack and ship empty collapsible cellular egg cartons in a flat collapsed condition to reduce the bulk of the shipment. An egg dealer receiving a supply of collapsed egg cartons is obliged to set up the individual cartons from their collapsed position before the box is capable of receiving the eggs, and which requires skill onthe part of an operator to speedily set up a supply of cartons for use, since the cross partitions of which there are seven in a double cell row dozen size carton, must be individually moved from their collapsed or folded position to a position crosswise of. the front and rear walls of the carton body. It is therefore the main object of this invention to speed up the erection of a collapsed cellular egg carton by the construction of a set up device which effects a simultaneous movement of the cross partitions from their folded position to a position crosswise between the opposite front and rear walls of the carton body.

Another feature of the invention resides in an egg carton set up device which constitutes a rigid form over which the open side of the egg carton may be fitted, and by a longitudinal shifting action of the hands of an operator, the pivoted cross partitions are swung to their position crosswise of the carton body.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of an egg carton set up device which is lacking of any moving parts which might become out of working order, and which does not require accurate positioning or lining up of the carton with respect to the device, preparatory to a setting up operation.

Another object of the invention .is to provide a set up device which is constructed in a manner to meet the novel setting up of the type of cellular egg carton illustrated in U. S. Reissue Patent No. 19,625, granted June 25, 1935.

With these and other objects in view which will appear in the following specification when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view with parts broken away in section.

Figure 4 'is an end elevational View.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view through one end of ends from which outwardly extending feet.,l 3 p oject. The feet I3 are preferably provided the device and illustrating a collapsed cellular carton about to be placed in position thereon.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5, but showing the carton in vertical section and in its first set up position upon the device.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary and elevational view showing the carton in complete set up position.

Figure 8 is a vertical ransverse sectional view on the line 8-8 of Figure 6.

Although the carton set up device now tobe 10 described in detail may be used for setting up other constructions of cartons, it has been designed to set up the particular construction of carton illustrated in Reissue Patent 19,625, above referred to, and a general description of this car-- 5 ton will now be given in order that construction of the set up device hereinafter described may be more readily appreciated.

The cellular egg carton above referred to is designated at A and is cut, stored, and folded from a single blank of cardboard to provide a foldable carton body having a front wall B, rear wall C, a pre-formed fixed double thickness central longitudinal partition D, inwardly converging bottom wall sections E-E extending respectively from the front and rear walls of the longitudinal partition to provide a cushion bottom when the carton is set up, a cover F hinged to the rear wall,

cross partitions G hinged to the front and rear walls, slots H in the mid-portions of the cross partitions to divide the same into partition sections I, slots J in the bottom-wall sections to receive the tongues K on the inner corners of the cross partition sections, the crosspartition sections being foldable on the unnotched mid-por- 3 tions L of the cross partitions, and notches M in the top of the longitudinal partition to freely receive the unnotched mid-portions when the body of the carton is spread open preparatory to the final setting up operation. The finalsetting up operation occurs when the cross partition sections I are moved to a position perpendicular with the central longitudinal partition at which time the corner tongues K enter the slots J, and it is this function which is performed by the setting up device now to be described.

The egg carton setting up device is designated in its entirety as at 10 and which may be constructed of anyrigid material such as metal,

wood, or any like composition of material. The 1 set up device l0 includes a rigid frame body consisting of a pair of like spaced parallel fiat side walls |l-ll formed with legs I2 at opposite 2 with openings It to enable the device to be firmly screwed to a flat horizontal or vertical surface. The top edges of the flat sides Il-II are similarly inclined throughout their entire length. The side walls II-II are joined by evenly spaced transversely disposed'cross partition engaging elements in the form of webs. the end webs being identified by the numerals I5 and I6, respectively, whilethe intermediate webs which are all similar to each other, are designated II. The end web I5 is disposed at the high end of the side walls II whereas the web I6 is disposed at the low end thereof. All of the intermediate webs I1 and the end webs I5 extend a like distance above the top edges of the side walls but the end web I6 extends a further distance from said top edges in order to effect a positive engagement with that particular end cross partition which swings outwardly from one end of the box body. and which is provided with longer locking tongues K than the other cross partitions. The end cross partitions may also be provided with side tongues N which interlock with slots in the front and rear walls B and .C to prevent accidental outward swinging of the cross partition sections I.- The end web I6 is slotted downwardly from the top as at I8 to freely receive one end of the longitudinal partition D, and the slot I8 divides the top of the web into, spaced fingers Iii-I9. The end web I has its top provided with a concavity or shallow notch to freely accommodate the wall of one of the end slots M to enable the higher top edges of the web I 5'to positively effect an interlocking of the tongues N with the slots 0 at that end of the carton.

The upwardly extending sides 2| of all the webs converge to meet the incline of the front and. rear walls B and C of the carton body as best seen in Figures '7 and 8, but the width of the extending portions of the webs is slightly less than the width of the carton body to permit free downward movement of the carton relative to the setting up device. Also, the extending portions of the webs I6 and I! are of such height as to engage the deepest ends of the slots M and prevent resting of the front and rear walls upon the inclined top edges of the side walls II-II. Although the webs may be vertically disposed, I have shown them slightly inclined toward the high end of the device and which angle of inclination is found to be more efficient due to the angularity of .the. carton body when placed on the device and which carton body substantially follows the incline of the top edges of the side walls I I-I i as seen by reference to Figure 5. Also, the top edge of the intermediate webs I! are straight and parallel to each other and the corners of the edges of all the webs are rounded to avoid sharp edges.

In practice, assume that it is desired to set up a collapsed edge carton A of the construction set forth, the said carton being shown in such collapsed position in Fig. 5, wherein the front, rear, bottom, and longitudinal partition walls all lie flat against each other, 'while the cross partition sections I of each cross partition respectively lie flat against the opposite sides of the longitudinal partition. From this position, the operator spreads the front and rear walls holding the carton in an inverted position, thus shaping the body of the carton to the position shown in Figures 7 and 8. To complete the setting up operation of the carton, it being understood that the cross partitions G have been unfolded on the unnotched fold portions L to a substantially horizontal position and the un- ,notched portions have entered the respective notches M in the longitudinal partition 0, itis necessary to swing the cross partitions inwardly toward the bottom wall sections E. Therefore, by placing the inverted carton down upon the top of the set-up device while grasping the front and rear walls of the carton body, the end partitions respectively engage the tops of the end webs I5 and [6 while the remaining cross partitions are engaged by the flat tops of the webs ll. Pressure is then applied to the carton in a downward direction and in a'lateral direction toward the low 'end of the set up device. The tops of the webs I1 and I5 engage the cross partition sections I and follow one of the walls of the slots lvI to the bottom ends thereof until the unnotched portions L strike the straight sides P and inner ends of the said slots, at which time the corner tongues K respectively enter the slots J. When the tops of the webs I'l strike the inner ends of the slots M the downward movement of the central portion of the carton is arrested. At no time do the fiat tops of the webs l1 strike the bottom of the carton, but the central portion of the bottom may be slightly flexed outwardly after the downward movement is arrested to enable the cross partitions to swing inwardly to allow the projecting tongues K to free- 7 1y enter the respective slots .J without undue bending. This outward flexing of the bottom of the carton is obtained by manually pushing downwardly while grasping the front and rear walls after the downward movement of the central portion of the carton has been arrested by reason of the inner ends of the slots M striking the tops of the webs II. The end web I5 also causes the tongues N at one end of the carton to enter the slots 0 in the side walls. Simultaneous with the above function, the fingers I9-I9 of the end web I6 push the cross partition sections I of the other end of the carton inwardly to cause the tongues K of said partition sections to enter their respective receiving slots J, and to also cause the tongues N thereof to enter their respective receiving slots 0. Thus it follows that all of the cross partitions are swung to a position perpendicular to and crosswise of the central longitudinal partition to divide the interior of the carton body into two rows of egg cells or compartments, the cross partitions being held against a return to their former position by reason of the engagement of the tongues K with the walls of the slots J. After the completion of I a set up operation, the carton is lifted from the .set up device and is ready for use.

During a set up operatiomthe cover F depends along one side of the device in an out of the way position.

While I have shown and described what I con- 7 sider to be the preferred embodiment of my invention, I wish it to be understood that any changes that come within the scope of .the appended claims may be resorted to if desired.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:-

1. A device for setting up collapsible cellular egg cartons of the type having a body, a central notched longitudinal partition, and normally substantially horizontally disposed pivoted cross partitions comprising a stand, a single row of spaced transversely disposed flat cross partition engaging elements rising upwardly from said stand, the end 75 elements being notched inwardly centrally from their top edges, the intermediate elements having straight top edges, whereby a carton with its body inverted may be manually applied to the device by a downward movement to cause the top edges of said elements to swing said cross partitions inwardly of the carton body, the notched portion of one of the end elementsaccommodating one end of the longitudinal partition while the top edges of the intermediate elements enter and engage the inner ends of the notches of the notched longitudinal partition to limit downward movement of the central portion of the bottom of the carton body.

2. A device'for setting up collapsible cellular egg cartons of the type having a body provided with slots in the bottom thereof, a central notched longitudinal partition, and normally substantially horizontally disposed pivoted cross partitions provided with tongues for reception in the slots pro vided in the bottom of the body; comprising a stand, a single row of spaced transversely disposed flat cross partition engaging elements rising upwardly from said stand, the opposite upstanding side edges of the respective elements converging upwardly for engagement by the opposite side walls of the carton body, a notch formed in one of the end elements of said row of elements extending inwardly from the top thereof for accommodating one end of the longitudinal partition during a setting up operation, the intermediate elements of said row of elements having straight top edges, whereby an egg carton with its body inverted may be manually brought down to cause the top edges of said row of elements to engage and swing the pivoted cross partitions inwardly of the carton body to a substantially vertical position, the straight top edges of the the cross partitions to swing to a substantiallyvertical set position and efiect interlocking of the respective tongues and slots.

3. A device for setting up collapsible cellular egg cartons of the type having a body, a fixed central longitudinal partition, and normally substantially horizontally disposed cross partitions comprising a stand, a single row of spaced transversely disposed fiat cross partition engaging ele-' ments rising upwardly from said stand, the end cross partition engaging elements of said row of elements rising to a plane above the plane of the tops of the intermediate elements of said row, means formed in one of the end elements of said row of cross partition engaging elements for freely accommodating one of the ends of the notched longitudinal partition, the intermediate elements of said row of cross partition engaging elements having straight top edges whereby a carton with its body inverted may be manually applied to the device by a downward movement to cause the top edges of all of said elements to swing the cross partitions inwardly of the carton body, while the top edges of the intermediate elements enter and engage the inner ends of the notches of the notched longitudinal partition to limit downward movement of the carton body.

4. In a device for setting up collapsible cellular egg cartons of the type having a body provided with slots in the bottom wall thereof, anotched central longitudinal partition connected to the bottom wall, and normally substantially horizontally disposed pivoted cross partitions with tongues for reception in the slots provided in the bottom wall of the body; a stand, and stop means projecting from said stand in the path of and engageable by the longitudinal partition to arrest the downward movement of the central portion of the bottom wall of the carton body when the carton body is applied to the device in an inverted position to flex the bottom wall of the carton body outwardly to enable the cross partitions to be swung inwardly to a substantially vertical set position to eflect interlocking of the respective tongues and slots without breakage to said tongues.

DAVID LEVKOFF. 

